Government acknowledges that the employment gap for disabled people in Ireland remains unacceptably high. It is Government policy to continually increase the number of disabled people in employment. While there is more to be done, progress has been made to ensure that disabled people are supported to access employment opportunities on an equal basis to all others.
The issue of employment supports, labour market activation, and employer outreach, principally fall to my colleagues the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, including in relation to disabled persons.
Within my own remit, work is underway on the development of a new National Disability Strategy to coordinate efforts across government on a range of disability issues, including employment. I also provide funding for the Employers for Change programme, which seeks to provide employers with all the information and advice needed to hire, employ, manage and retain staff with disabilities. Funding is also provided for the Towards Work programme which seeks to provide pre-activation supports for disabled people.
The Deputy references the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for Persons with Disabilities (2015-2024) which was the primary disability employment policy initiative in Ireland. The CES provided a whole of government framework to addressing barriers to employment faced by people with disabilities, with actions focused on building skills, capacity and independence, providing bridges and supports into work, and implementing initiatives that support work, promote job retention and re-entry to work.
Successes under the CES include the progression of recommendations arising from the Make Work Pay Report, the increased uptake in mainstream education and training options among young people with disabilities, increased participation by students with physical or mobility disabilities in higher education, and the success of the Ability Programme. Under the CES, a commitment was also enshrined in legislation to increase the proportion of disabled persons employed in the public sector from 3% to 6% by 2025. This will increase opportunities for disabled people to participate and thrive in the public service.
Following the conclusion of the CES and the former National Disability Inclusion Strategy, my Department is leading across government on the development of a new National Disability Strategy. The topic of employment and ensuring opportunities to participate fully in the workforce will be a cornerstone of the new Strategy. Working collaboratively across government and with stakeholders, the new National Disability Strategy will build on the successes of the CES and revitalise the Government’s commitment to ensure that people with disabilities are afforded opportunities to work on an equal basis with others.
The design and development of the National Disability Strategy has been influenced and shaped by input from a wide-ranging and extensive national consultation process and ongoing regular engagement with disability stakeholders, including in particular Disabled Persons' Organisations. This is in fulfilment of our obligations under Article 4(3) of the UNCRPD which obliges states to closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities through their representative organisations in policy making and implementation.
It is the responsibility of all public bodies to execute their functions in a fashion that reflects their UNCRPD obligations and advances the realisation of the rights set out in the Convention. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is the independent monitoring mechanism for the UNCRPD in Ireland.
